anner.bloodandgold-第116章
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endure； that I wander？ With or without Arjun； what does it matter？〃
She turned her eyes to me； wondering。
〃And what do I learn from you except that you go on； and that you endure…that those demons in Rome did not destroy you as they claimed； that you were burnt； yes； I can see that in the color of your skin； but you survive。 Marius； what more is there？〃
〃What on Earth are you saying！〃 I demanded。 I was suddenly furious。 〃Pandora； we have each other！ Good Lord。 We have time。 As we e together now； time begins for us all over again！〃
〃Does it； Marius？ I don't know；〃 she replied。 〃Marius； I'm not strong enough。〃
〃Pandora； that's mad！〃 I said。
〃Oh； you are so angry and it is so like our quarrels of old。〃
〃No； it's not！〃 I declared。 〃It's nothing like our quarrels of old because it's about nothing。 Now I'm taking you from here。 I'm taking you to my palace； and I shall deal with Arjun as best as I can afterwards。〃
〃You can't do such a thing；〃 she said sharply。 〃Marius； I've been with him for hundreds of years。 You think you can simply e
between us？〃
〃I want you； Pandora。 I shall settle for nothing else。 And if such a time es that you want to leave me…。〃
〃Yes； and what if it does e；〃 she said angrily； 〃then what shall I do when there is no Arjun on account of you！〃
I fell silent。 I was in a rage。 She was staring at me intently。 Her face was full of feeling。 Her breast heaved under the tight satin。
〃Do you love me？〃 I demanded。
〃pletely；〃 she said in her angry voice。
〃Then you are ing with me！〃
I took her by the hand。
No one moved to stop us as we left the palace。
As soon as I had her in the carriage； I kissed her wantonly as mortals kiss and wanted to sink my teeth into her throat but she forbade it。
〃Let me have that intimacy！〃 I begged。 〃For the love of Heaven； Pandora； it's Marius who is speaking to you。 Listen to me。 Let us share blood and blood。〃
〃Don't you think I want to？〃 she asked。 〃I'm afraid。〃
〃Afraid of what？〃 I demanded。 〃Tell me what you fear。 I'll make it vanish。〃
The carriage rolled on out of Dresden and through the forest towards my palace。
〃Oh； but you won't；〃 she replied。 〃You can't。 Don't you understand； Marius； you're the same being you were in those times when we were first together。 You're strong and spirited as you were then； and I'm not。 Marius； he takes care of me。〃
〃Takes care of you？ Pandora； this is what you want！ I'll do it。 I shall take care of every tiny detail of your entire existence as though you were my daughter！ Only give me the chance。 Give me the chance to restore in love what was lost to us。〃
We had reached my gates； and my servants were opening them。 We were about to enter when she signaled to me that I must hold the coach。 She was looking out the window。 She was looking up at the
windows of the palace。 Perhaps she could see the pavilion。
I did as she asked。 I saw that she was paralyzed with fear。 There was no disguising it。 She stared at the palace as though it were full of menace。
〃What in the name of Heaven can it be？〃 I asked。 〃Whatever it is that frightens you； tell me。 Pandora； there is nothing that can't be changed。 Tell me。〃
〃Oh； you are so violent in your temper；〃 she said in a whisper。 〃Can't you guess what reduces me to this abominable weakness？〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃I know only I love you with my whole heart。 I've found you again and I'll do anything to keep you。〃
Her eyes remained fixed on the palace。
〃Even give up the female panion；〃 she asked； 〃who is inside this very house waiting for you？〃
I didn't answer。
〃I saw her at the ball；〃 she said； her eyes glassy； her voice quivering。 〃I saw her and knew what she was； quite powerful； quite graceful。 I never guessed she was your lover。 But now I know that she is。 I can hear her inside。 I can hear her hopes and dreams and how they are pinned on you。〃
〃Stop it； Pandora。 It isn't necessary that I give her up。 We are not mortals！ We can live together。〃
I took her by the arms。 I shook her。 Her hair did e loose and then violently and cruelly I pulled at it； and I buried my face in her hair。
〃Pandora； if you require this of me； I'll do it。 Only give me time； give me time to make certain that Bianca is where she might survive well and happy。 I'll do it for you； do you understand； if only you'll stop fighting me！〃
I drew back。 She appeared dazed and cold。 Her lovely hair spilled down on her shoulders。
〃What is it？〃 she asked in a low sluggish voice。 〃Why do you look at me this way？〃
I was on the edge of tears； but I stopped them。
〃Because I imagined；〃 I said； 〃that this meeting would be so very different。 And I did think that you would e with me willingly。 And I did think that we two could live in harmony with Bianca。 I believed these things。 I believed them for a long time。 And now I sit with you here and all is argument and torment。〃
〃That's all it ever was； Marius；〃 she replied in her low sad voice。 〃That's why you left me。〃
〃No；〃 I said。 〃That's not so。 Pandora； ours was a great love。 You must acknowledge it。 There was a terrible parting； yes； but we had a great love； and we can have it again if we reach for it。〃
She gazed at the house； then back at me almost furtively。 Something quickened in her and she suddenly gripped my arm with white knuckles。 There came that look of terrible fear again。
〃e into the house with me；〃 I said。 〃Meet Bianca。 Take her hands in yours。 Pandora； listen to me。 Stay in the house while I go to settle things with Arjun。 I won't be long； I promise you。〃
〃No；〃 she cried。 〃Don't you understand？ I can't go into this house。 It has nothing to do with your Bianca。〃
〃What then？ What now？ What more！〃 I demanded。
〃It's the sound I hear； the sound of their hearts beating！〃
〃The King and the Queen！ Yes； they are inside。 They are deep within the Earth； Pandora。 They are as still and silent as always。 You need not even see them。〃
A look of pure terror infected her features。 I put my arms around her； but she only looked away。
〃As still and silent as always；〃 she gasped。 〃Surely that can't be。 Not after all this time。 Marius！〃
〃Oh； but it is；〃 I said。 〃And to you it should be nothing。 You needn't go down the steps to the shrine。 It is my duty。 Pandora； stop looking away。〃
〃Don't hurt me； Marius；〃 she cautioned。 〃You're rough with me as though I were a concubine。 Treat me with grace。〃 Her lips trembled。 〃Treat me with mercy；〃 she said sadly。
I started to weep。
〃Stay with me；〃 I said。 〃e inside。 Talk to Bianca。 e to love us both。 Let time begin from this moment。〃
〃No； Marius；〃 she said。 〃Take me away from that awful sound。 Take me back to the place where I am living。 Take me back； or I shall go on foot。 I can't bear this。〃
I obeyed her mands。 We were silent as she traveled to a large handsome house in Dresden whose many windows were dark； and there I held her still； kissing her； refusing to let her go。
Finally； I drew out my handkerchief and wiped my face。 I drew in my breath and tried to speak calmly。
〃You are frightened；〃 I said； 〃and I must understand it and be patient with it。〃
She had that dazed cold look in her eyes； a look I had never seen in the early years； a look that now horrified me。
〃Tomorrow night； we shall meet again；〃 I said； 〃here perhaps in this house where you are dwelling； where you are safe from the sound of the Mother and the Father。 Wherever you wish。 But wherever you can get used to me。〃
She nodded。 She lifted her hand and stroked my cheek with her fingers。
〃How well you pretend；〃 she whispered。 〃How very fine you are； and always were。 And to think those demons in Rome thought they had put out your brilliant light。 I should have laughed at them。〃
〃Yes； and my light shines only for you；〃 I said； 〃and it was of you I dreamt when I was burnt black by the fire sent from that demon blood drinker Santino。 It was of you I dreamt as I drank from the Mother to regain my strength； as I searched for you through the countries of Europe。〃
〃Oh； my love；〃 she whispered。 〃My great love。 If only I
